Educating for planetary health and climate action – a contemporary imperative
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Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity and healthcare professionals worldwide. As nurses comprise the largest healthcare discipline (>60%), they must be educated to mitigate the health sector’s impact on the environment, prepare for current and future health impacts of environmental change, and advocate for greater attention to planetary health. Empowering nurses with appropriate knowledge and skills has the potential to make a significant difference to the carbon footprint of healthcare organisations.
Despite being at the forefront of responding to the impacts of climate change, healthcare is also contributing significantly to carbon emissions. In response, many Australian organisations have developed sustainability and emissions reduction strategies with a number aiming to be Net Zero over the next 15-20 years. While it is encouraging to see healthcare leaders with bold strategies aimed at mitigating and addressing the impacts of climate change on health, more nursing leaders and role models are needed to champion sustainability initiatives.